William Hartnell
Known For: Acting
Gender: Male
Date of Birth: January 8, 1908
Day of Death: April 23, 1975 (67 years old)
Place of Birth: St. Pancras, London, England, UK
William Henry Hartnell (8 January 1908 – 23 April 1975), also known as Billy Hartnell or Bill Hartnell, was an English actor. Hartnell played the first incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, from 1963 to 1966. He was also known for his roles as Sergeant Grimshaw, the title character of the first Carry On film, Carry On Sergeant in 1958, and Company Sergeant Major Percy Bullimore in the sitcom The Army Game from 1957 until 1958, and again in 1960. Hartnell entered the theatre in 1925 working under Frank Benson as a general stagehand. He appeared in numerous Shakespearian plays, including The Merchant of Venice (1926), Julius Caesar (1926), As You Like It (1926), Hamlet (1926), The Tempest (1926) and Macbeth (1926). He also appeared in She Stoops to Conquer (1926), School for Scandal (1926) and Good Morning, Bill (1927), before performing in Miss Elizabeth's Prisoner (1928). This play was written by Robert Neilson Stephens and E. Lyall Swete. It featured the actress Heather McIntyre, whom he married during the following year. His first of more than sixty film appearances was in Say It With Music (1932). Hartnell continued to play comic characters until he was cast in the robust role of Sergeant Ned Fletcher in The Way Ahead (1944). From then on his career was defined by playing mainly policemen, soldiers, and thugs. Hartnell's performance in This Sporting Life was noted by Verity Lambert, the producer who was setting up a new science-fiction television series for the BBC entitled Doctor Who; and, mainly on the strength of that performance, Lambert offered him the title role.
2025
2024
2023
2021
2017
2013
2012
2009
2006
2002
1983
1982
1977
1973
1966
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Daleks' Master Plan
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The War Machines
Actor The Doctor/Abbot of Amboise
Doctor Who: The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Savages
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Ark
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Celestial Toymaker
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Gunfighters
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Smugglers
Actor The Doctor (1)
Doctor Who: The Tenth Planet
1965
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Romans
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Rescue
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Crusade
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Web Planet
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Space Museum
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: Galaxy 4
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Time Meddler
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Myth Makers
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Chase
1964
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Aztecs
Actor Dr. Who
Doctor Who: The Edge of Destruction
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: Marco Polo
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Keys of Marinus
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Sensorites
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Reign of Terror
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: Planet of Giants
Actor The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Dalek Invasion of Earth
Actor Dr. Who
Doctor Who: The Daleks
